Traoré withBurkina Faso at the2021 Africa Cup of Nations | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bertrand Isidore Traoré[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1995-09-06)6 September 1995 (age 30)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso[3] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward,attacking midfielder,winger[4] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Sunderland | |||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Auxerre | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Chelsea | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Chelsea | 10 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | →Vitesse (loan) | 42 | (16) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | →Ajax (loan) | 24 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2020 | Lyon | 87 | (21) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2024 | Aston Villa | 55 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | →İstanbul Başakşehir (loan) | 12 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Villarreal | 11 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Ajax | 33 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Sunderland | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Burkina Faso U17 | 8 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2011– | Burkina Faso | 86 | (22) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 8 October 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bertrand Isidore Traoré (born 6 September 1995) is a Burkinabé professionalfootballer who plays as aforward or aright winger forPremier League clubSunderland andcaptains theBurkina Faso national team.
After beginning his career atAuxerre, Traoré finished his development atChelsea, and made his debut in a one-and-a-half-year loan atVitesse in theEredivisie. After a season in the Premier League with Chelsea, he was loaned back to the Netherlands to play forAjax in 2016, and a year later signed forLyon for €10 million. He then played forİstanbul Başakşehir on loan until 2023.
A full international from the age of 15, Traoré represented Burkina Faso at fiveAfrica Cup of Nations tournaments.
In August 2010, it was reported that Traoré had joined theChelsea Academy from French clubAuxerre, rejectingManchester United in the process.[5][6]
In January 2011, however, Traoré had not yet signed for the club,[7] and in January 2012 the club confirmed that Traoré was not and had never been a Chelsea player, but had appeared once for the club's youth team in a friendly as part of a six-week trial earlier in the season.[8] On 17 July 2013, however, he made his debut, as a trialist, in a pre-season friendly against the Singha All Stars.[9]
On 31 October 2013, Traoré officially signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Chelsea.[10][11] He signed a contract for Chelsea's senior team in December 2013, and completed the transfer on 1 January 2014.[12][13]
On 2 January 2014, Traoré signed on loan forEredivisie sideVitesse.[14] On 26 January, he made his debut, coming on in the 67th minute for fellow Chelsea loaneeLucas Piazon. On 29 March 2014, Traoré scored his first goal, againstHeerenveen. He replacedMike Havenaar after half-time; in the 67th minute, he scored Vitesse's second goal of the game which was assisted by fellow Chelsea loanee,Christian Atsu.[15] On 6 April, Traoré scored his second goal of the season in a home match againstAjax which ended in a 1–1 draw.[16] On 12 April, Traoré put Vitesse in the lead for the first time in the match againstCambuur, although Vitesse lost the game 4–3 in the end.[17]
On 7 July 2014, it was confirmed that Traoré would stay at Vitesse on loan for the 2014–15 season.[18] Traoré scored his first goal of the season in a 4–1 victory overWillem II on 18 October.[19] While he primarily played on the right wing during his first loan to Vitesse, around December, Traoré made the switch from the right to being the lone striker up top leading up to him scoring on 14 December in a 1–1 draw againstGroningen.[20] In the following games, Traoré scored his first brace in a 4–0 win over Ajax in theKNVB Cup,[21] then three days later scored his first league brace in a 3–0 win overHeracles.[22]

On 22 June 2015, Traoré received a work permit and therefore clearance to play for Chelsea for the2015–16 season onwards.[23] He was given the number 14 shirt, previously worn byAndré Schürrle. On 16 September, Traoré made his Chelsea debut in a 4–0 victory againstMaccabi Tel Aviv in theUEFA Champions League group stage, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute forRuben Loftus-Cheek.[24] HisPremier League debut came on 5 December, playing the final seven minutes of a 0–1 home loss toAFC Bournemouth.[25]
Traoré scored four goals in five matches in early 2016. On 31 January 2016, Traoré scored his first Chelsea goal in a 5–1 victory atMilton Keynes Dons in theFA Cup, confirming the result five minutes after coming on in place ofDiego Costa.[26] Two weeks later, after again replacing Costa, he scored his first Premier League goal in a game of the same result againstNewcastle United.[27] On 5 March, with Costa rested ahead of a Champions League game, Traoré was given a start in a home Premier League match againstStoke City and scored from 20 yards to open a 1–1 draw, but his performance was described as "mixed" due to "failing to control the ball in the box on a couple of occasions and being caught offside needlessly".[28]

On 12 August 2016, Traoré signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea and joined Ajax on loan for the 2016–17 campaign, which reunited him with former Vitesse manager,Peter Bosz.[29] On the following day, Traoré made his league debut off the bench, replacingKasper Dolberg in a 2–2 home draw againstRoda JC.[30] On 16 August, Traoré made his first start in aChampions League play-off round againstRostov, a 1–1 draw.[31]
On 15 September, Traoré scored his first Ajax goal in aEuropa League group stage tie againstPanathinaikos, scoring Ajax's equaliser in a 2–1 win.[32] Just over a week later, he scored his first league goal in a 5–1 win overPEC Zwolle.[33]
On 3 November 2016, Bosz criticised Traoré in an interview stating that there's "nothing wrong with his attitude, but his form is not good".[34]
Traoré scored four goals in the2016–17 UEFA Europa League, including two goals in a 4–1 victory in the first leg of the semi-final againstLyon.[35] He played every minute of thefinal, with Ajax losing toManchester United 2–0.[36]

On 26 June 2017, Traoré signed forLigue 1 club Lyon on a five-year contract for an initial transfer fee of €10 million (£8.8 million), plus potential add-ons.[37][38][39] Chelsea reportedly inserted a buy-back clause into Traoré's contract and would receive 15 per cent of any profit made by Lyon on the fee should they sell Traoré in the future. Chelsea would also have first refusal should Traoré move again.[40]
In his first season in France, Traoré formed an attacking trio withMariano Díaz andMemphis Depay, all of whom reached double figures in league goals.[41] He was sidelined with knee ligament injury from November 2017 until January, when he returned and scored a free kick for thereserve team in a 3–2 home loss toSC Schiltigheim in thefourth tier.[42]
In the2020 Coupe de la Ligue Final on 31 July, the last match in the competition, Traoré was the only player to miss in the penalty shootout as Paris Saint-Germain won 6–5 after a goalless draw; his attempt was saved byKeylor Navas.[43]
On 19 September 2020, Traoré signed for Premier League sideAston Villa for an undisclosed fee,[44] believed to be £17 million.[45] He scored on his debut five days later, in a 3–0 away victory in theEFL Cup againstBristol City.[46] He went on to make his league debut on 28 September as a second-half substitute in a 3–0 away win overFulham. On 20 December, he scored his first Premier League goal in four years in a 3–0 away victory overlocal rivalsWest Bromwich Albion.[47]On 23 May 2021, the final day of the Premier League season, Traore scored the first goal atVilla Park with fans in attendance since the start of theCOVID-19 pandemic in a 2–1 win over former clubChelsea, in which he also won the penalty thatAnwar El Ghazi converted for the winner.
On 22 August 2022, Traoré signed forSüper Lig clubİstanbul Başakşehir on a season-long loan.[48] He was recalled early from that loan on 31 January 2023.[49] On 4 April 2023, he scored his first goal for Villa in almost two years, coming on as a late substitute and netting the winner in a 2–1 away victory overLeicester City.[50] Four days later, on 8 April 2023, he scored again for Villa, with the opening goal in a 2–0 home win againstNottingham Forest.[51] On 12 January 2024, managerUnai Emery said the player was free to leave the club.[52]
On 1 February 2024, Traoré joinedLa Liga sideVillarreal on a free transfer, signing a contract until the end ofthe season.[53]
On 15 July 2024, Traoré rejoined Dutch side Ajax by signing a contract until 2026.[54]
On 1 September 2025, Traoré joinedPremier League sideSunderland for a fee worth £2.5m, He signed a one year contract with an option for an additional year.[55]
Traoré participated at the2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup[56] and2011 African U-17 Championship,[57] and helped Burkina Faso beatRwanda 2–1 in the continental final.[58]
At the age of 15, Traoré made his debut for theBurkina Faso senior national team on 3 September 2011 in afriendly match againstEquatorial Guinea.[59][60] He made his first appearance at anAfrica Cup of Nations finals in the2012 edition, becoming one of the youngest players to do so. He came on as a 66th-minute substitute forNarcisse Yaméogo in the 2–1 loss toSudan in their final group stage match with Burkina Faso already eliminated from the tournament after losing their first two group stage matches.[61]
Traoré scored his first goal for the senior national team on 14 August 2013, opening the scoring in a 2–1 friendly away win overMorocco.[62] At the2015 Africa Cup of Nations, he played all three of the team's games inanother group stage exit, starting the first two.
Burkina Faso came third at the2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Traoré scored in a 2–0 win overGuinea-Bissau inMarrakesh, sending his country to the quarter-finals.[63]
Traoré's father,Feu Traoré Isaï, was also a footballer. He played forRC Bobo and also represented Burkina Faso at international level.[3] Bertrand is the youngest of four children. The second-eldest,Alain, is also a footballer.[3][60] He is the cousin ofShakhtar Donetsk strikerLassina Traoré.[64]
After moving to Chelsea's academy, Traoré was educated atWhitgift School.[65][66] Traoré is Catholic.[67]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Chelsea | 2015–16 | Premier League | 10 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 4 |
| Vitesse (loan) | 2013–14 | Eredivisie | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2[d] | 0 | 15 | 3 | ||
| 2014–15 | Eredivisie | 29 | 13 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 4[d] | 1 | 36 | 17 | |||
| Total | 42 | 16 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 51 | 20 | ||||
| Ajax (loan) | 2016–17 | Eredivisie | 24 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | 15[e] | 4 | — | 38 | 13 | ||
| Lyon | 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9[f] | 4 | — | 43 | 18 | |
| 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8[c] | 1 | — | 47 | 11 | ||
| 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5[c] | 1 | — | 35 | 4 | ||
| Total | 87 | 21 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 33 | ||
| Aston Villa | 2020–21 | Premier League | 36 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 38 | 8 | ||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 2 | |||
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[g] | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| Total | 55 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 62 | 10 | |||
| İstanbul Başakşehir (loan) | 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 6[g] | 1 | — | 18 | 3 | ||
| Villarreal | 2023–24 | La Liga | 11 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | |||
| Ajax | 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 32 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 15[f] | 4 | — | 49 | 10 | ||
| 2025–26 | Eredivisie | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 33 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 10 | |||
| Sunderland | 2025–26 | Premier League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 281 | 66 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 64 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 378 | 94 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burkina Faso | 2011 | 3 | 0 |
| 2012 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 13 | 4 | |
| 2018 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 6 | 4 | |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | |
| Total | 86 | 22 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 August 2013 | Grand Stade de Tanger,Tanger, Morocco | 9 | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 2 | 10 January 2015 | Mbombela Stadium,Nelspruit, South Africa | 18 | 4–1 | 5–1 | Friendly | |
| 3 | 17 November 2015 | Stade du 4 Août,Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso | 27 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 4 | 7 January 2017 | Stade de Marrakech,Marrakesh, Morocco | 32 | 2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 5 | 22 January 2017 | Stade de Franceville,Franceville, Gabon | 35 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations | |
| 6 | 10 June 2017 | Stade du 4 Août, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso | 40 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 7 | 5 September 2017 | Stade du 4 Août, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso | 42 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 8 | 28 May 2018 | Stade Pierre Brisson,Beauvais, France | 47 | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | |
| 9 | 22 March 2019 | Stade du 4 Août, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso | 51 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 10 | 9 October 2020 | Stade El Abdi,El Jadida, Morocco | 55 | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | |
| 11 | 12 October 2020 | Stade El Abdi, El Jadida, Morocco | 56 | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 12 | 29 March 2021 | Stade du 4 Août, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso | 59 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 13 | 23 January 2022 | Limbe Stadium,Limbe, Cameroon | 63 | 1–0 | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations | |
| 14 | 23 September 2022 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium,Rabat, Morocco | 67 | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | |
| 15 | 27 September 2022 | Stade Père Jégo,Casablanca, Morocco | 68 | 2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 16 | 17 November 2023 | Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco | 73 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 17 | 21 November 2023 | Stade El Abdi, El Jadida, Morocco | 74 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 18 | 16 January 2024 | Stade de la Paix,Bouaké, Ivory Coast | 75 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations | |
| 19 | 20 January 2024 | Stade de la Paix, Bouaké, Ivory Coast | 76 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations | |
| 20 | 30 January 2024 | Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium,Korhogo, Ivory Coast | 78 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations | |
| 21 | 13 October 2024 | Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium,Abidjan, Ivory Coast | 80 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 22 | 21 March 2025 | Ben M'Hamed El Abdi Stadium, El Jadida, Morocco | 81 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Ajax
Lyon
Burkina Faso U17
Burkina Faso
Individual
Moi, je crois en Dieu, je suis un catholique. Tout ce que Dieu fait est bon. Je vais faire le travail et Dieu va me guider. [Me, I believe in God, I am a Catholic. All that God does is good. I will do work and God will guide me.]